The bottom or base note of a perfume is the deep earthy aroma that initially is quite subtle, but develops and lingers longer. Familiar base notes include musk, patchouli and sandalwood.

Exploring Rangitoto, lunching on Waiheke, Hauraki Gulf, Auckland

Rangitio is a large dormant volcano that sits literally in Auckland's back yard - the Hauraki Gulf. Although it's such a familiar land mark in Auckland, it is a place that every Aucklander should visit and climb at least once. A 40 minute walk to crater, leads you to a breathtaking lookout that encompasses Auckland and it's surrounding islands.

Another spot, only a short getaway from Auckland is Waiheke Island, full of beautiful sandy beaches and vineyards.

Bethells Beach sand dunes, West Coast Auckland

The Bethells Beach Sandunes are Auckland's best kept secret. Located on Auckland's west coast, these black sand beaches are rugged, wild and spectacular. Tucked away behind the beach sits a mountain terrain of black sand dunes stepping down to a beautiful lake. A great family day out.

A photo posted by Lisa Mckay (@lisa_cheri) on May 2, 2015 at 9:00pm PDT

Te Henga (Bethells Beach) is a coastal community in the Auckland Region in the north of the North Island, New Zealand.

The Māori name Te Henga, meaning sand, originally applied to a wide area of the lower Waitakere River valley, but in 1976 the New Zealand Geographic Board changed the name of the beach from Bethells Beach to Te Henga (Bethells Beach).

The beach is approximately 30 kilometres north-west of Auckland City, at the mouth of the Waitakere River where it flows into the Tasman Sea. One of several popular resorts in the area (others include Muriwai, Piha and Karekare), it experiences a population explosion in summer when Aucklanders head to the sea. [source: wikipedia]